PAR-MEET 2

Addressing the meeting, Modi said important bills, including the GST, are to be taken up during the session and expressed the hope that there would be meaningful discussions and outcomes, officials said.

"Referring to introduction of GST, the Prime Minister noted that the issue was not about which government would get the credit for this, but what is important is the passage of the bill," they said.

Ananth Kumar said the government has lined up 16 bills for passage in the session.

Growing incidents of terror attacks in different parts of the world and their implications for the country, foreign policy, floods in states like Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand were listed by him among the issues to be discussed in Parliament, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister said.

"The

meeting was very fruitful. All the parties desired smooth functioning of Parliament and assured of their cooperation. Congress too assured support to legislative proposals based on merits," he said.

Asked about some chief ministers like Nitish Kumar raising the issue of role of governors at the Inter-State Council meeting here yesterday, he said these were not discussed.

Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia played down the talks between his party and the government to break the impasse over the long-pending GST bill and said they wanted the government to share with them a written draft over the demands made by the party.

"We can give a response only after we receive a written draft from the government," he said as he rejected the contention that the Congress was blocking the bill, saying GST was "a baby given birth" by his party.

He also referred to the Kairana issue, suggesting that it was aimed at stoking communal tension and said his party will take it up during the session.

CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said BJP and Congress were indulging in "match-fixing" on the GST issue and asked the government to follow the parliamentary spirit as Atal Bihari Vajpayee dispensation did and consult all parties.

He and Naresh Agrawal of Samajwadi Party demanded an all- party meeting over the GST bill with the SP leader saying his party may oppose the bill if it is not consulted.